Corbyn’s attack on British troops

JEREMY Corbyn was under fire last night after he suggested British forces on Nato duty in Eastern Europe are ‘ escalating tensions’ with Russia.

His spokesman said the Labour leader did not support the deployment of hundreds of UK troops to deter aggression by President Putin and implied that a future Labour government might not come to the aid of a Nato ally if it were attacked by Russia.

Article 5 of the treaty commits Nato members to collective defence. But the spokesman said: ‘It doesn’t define what that response should be... that can be a whole range of things.’

Asked specifically whether Mr Corbyn supported the Government’s decision to send 800 troops to Estonia as part of a Nato task force, he said: ‘ Jeremy has expressed concerns about that being one of the escalations of tensions that have taken place.’ The comments prompted fury among Labour MPs and led to fresh questions about Mr Corbyn’s fitness for office. Sources close to defence spokesman Nia Griffith told the Daily Mirror she was ‘absolutely livid’ over the suggestion that Labour did not support Nato’s policy of collective defence.

Michael Dugher, another former Labour frontbencher, described the intervention as an ‘own goal’ which had sabotaged Mr Corbyn’s efforts to hold the Government to account over the NHS.

Mr Dugher said Mr Corbyn’s team appeared to be ‘continuing to fight the Cold War – for the wrong side’.

Former Labour defence min- ister Kevan Jones said the comments undermined support for British troops.

‘Anyone in our Armed Forces is going to take a pretty dim view of being undermined in this way while they are protecting the security of Europe,’ he said. ‘The idea that being part of Nato escalates tensions is completely wrong – collective defence through Nato is vital.’

Mike Gapes, a Labour member of the Commons foreign affairs committee, pointed out that Labour had always backed Nato, adding: ‘ Collective defence is absolutely essential for all members.’

Tory MP Bob Stewart, an exArmy colonel, said: ‘Jeremy Corbyn barks at the moon when he starts talking about defence.’

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Mr Corbyn was wrong, adding: ‘Nato is not seeking confrontation with Russia. We would like to pursue a relationship of cooperation with Russia, but we are also going to make sure we are standing up for our allies within Nato.’